Jakarta, INTI - The NASA released an investigation report on Thursday, February 19, 2026, officially classifying Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner crewed flight test as a “Type A mishap” after identifying a combination of hardware failures and programmatic weaknesses that created unsafe conditions and failed to meet human spaceflight safety standards.
In the report, NASA disclosed hardware malfunctions, qualification gaps, leadership errors, and cultural dysfunction that contributed to the mission’s issues.
The spacecraft temporarily lost maneuverability as the crew approached the International Space Station, resulting in financial losses.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated, "The Boeing Starliner spacecraft faced multiple challenges throughout both its uncrewed mission and its most recent crewed mission."
He added, “The technical difficulties experienced during the docking process with the International Space Station were evident.”
Isaacman further emphasized, "Today, we are officially designating this incident as a Type A mishap and ensuring leadership accountability so that a situation like this does not happen again."
He noted that NASA will work closely with Boeing to implement corrective actions before Starliner returns to flight.
Mission Timeline and Flight Extension
The Starliner was launched on June 5, 2024, on its first crewed test mission to the International Space Station.
The mission was initially planned to last between eight and fourteen days.
However, the flight was extended to 93 days after anomalies were detected in the propulsion system while the spacecraft was in orbit.
After reviewing flight data and conducting ground tests, NASA decided to return the spacecraft without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on board.
The Starliner capsule landed at White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico, in September 2024.
Both astronauts later returned safely to Earth aboard SpaceX Crew-9 in March 2025.
Investigation Team and Corrective Actions
NASA established an independent Program Investigation Team in February 2025 to examine the technical, organizational, and cultural factors that contributed to the issues.
The investigation report was completed in November 2025 before being publicly released in February 2026.
Investigators concluded that a combination of hardware failures and programmatic weaknesses created unsafe conditions that did not meet NASA’s human spaceflight safety standards.
Since Starliner’s return, NASA and Boeing have continued working together to identify and address the various challenges encountered during the mission.
NASA stated that it is implementing corrective measures to ensure lessons learned from the incident enhance the safety of future Starliner missions as well as other agency programs.
Conclusion
NASA’s decision to classify the Boeing Starliner crewed test flight as a Type A mishap underscores the agency’s commitment to accountability and safety in human spaceflight. The findings highlight not only technical failures but also organizational and cultural gaps that must be addressed. With corrective measures underway and close collaboration between NASA and Boeing, the focus now shifts to restoring confidence and ensuring higher safety standards for future missions.
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